What Gives Your Garbage Disposal Indigestion

What Gives Your Garbage Disposal Indigestion

Garbage disposals are one of the kitchen’s unspoken stars. While it’s not as glamorous as, say, the dishwasher, it similarly saves you time and keeps your home clean. However, if you don’t care for your disposal properly, you’ll surely face a clogged or broken disposal sometime in your future. This can be a costly and frustrating headache. If you follow Almighty’s tips, you can treat your garbage disposal with the care and respect it deserves. (And you’ll save money and avoid stress!)

What not to put down the drain

Your garbage disposal is not the same thing as a garbage can. You should never put anything but biodegradable food down the disposal. However, while it’s so convenient to be able to put leftover food scraps down the disposal, not all food is meant to go down the drain. Never put the following food items down your disposal, or else you’ll have a plumbing headache on your hands (and garbage disposal repair will surely be needed!)

Fruit seeds or pits. They will definitely damage the disposal’s blade.

Starchy vegetables. Celery, asparagus, potato peels, and the like are very tough and stringy. They can wrap around the blade and cause an obstruction.

Meat bones. The blade isn’t strong enough to handle any kinds of bones, and they’ll get caught in the drain.

Pasta and rice. They expand in water, meaning they will expand when going down your skin and ultimately clog the drain.

Egg shells. The membrane on the shell’s interior can wrap itself around the disposal blade and cause trouble.

Grease. Don’t put any leftover cooking oil or grease down your drain. When the grease cools, it solidifies and obstructs the drain. Instead, put cooking grease in a jar and throw it out in the trash when full.

Coffee grounds. They will get caught in the disposal trap and lead to clogs. Throw grounds out in the garbage or start composting them.

Tips for a happy and healthy garbage disposal

Keep water flowing before and after disposal. This will flush all food down the drain, ensuring nothing gets left behind.

Use cold water! It’s a common misconception that hot water is better, but, in fact, hot water melts the food’s fat and grease, letting food waste stick to the side of the pipe and cause blockages.

Cut food into smaller pieces. The disposal blade, while powerful, can’t handle anything. Smaller pieces will be more manageable for the blade, meaning fewer clogs.

Run your disposal regularly. If not, the pipes and blade can rust and corrode over time. Also, leftover food stuck to the sides will harden and start to smell.

Clean the disposal at least once a month. There are several simple DIY methods to keep your garbage disposal fresh and functional! Grinding up ice and salt is an easy way to cut through the grease and slime left on the inside of the drain. Then flushing with cold water and a half a lemon keeps your disposal smelling pleasant.

If you need professional help, call Almighty

If you do need professional plumbing help for your clogged or broken garbage disposal, Almighty is the best choice for your garbage disposal repair needs. We offer expert plumbing services for residential plumbing, commercial plumbing, and industrial plumbing. Call us today at 773-284-6616 (Chicago) or 708-424-2887 (Suburbs).